Nine local art organisations have been thrown a lifeline by the City’s arts and culture branch.
These organisations will benefit from a Grants-in-Aid allocation of just under R650 000 by the City’s arts and culture branch for the development of programmes that promote visual and performing arts.
The call for applications was made in October last year.
The art sector is one of many industries hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Applicants were required to submit proposals for projects that would focus on providing creative and innovative arts and cultural programmes that address environmental, ecological and sustainability concerns including the challenges around climate change.
According to the City, all applications for grant-in-aid funding were assessed in accordance with the Grants-in-Aid Policy and conform to the Municipal Financial Management Act.
Patricia van der Ross, Mayco member for community services and health, says they received a range of applications, but only nine organisations were successful, having met all of the criteria for disbursement of funding.
The recipients are:
- Amava Oluntu in Muizenberg
- Blaqpearl Foundation in Mitchell’s Plain
- The Centre for Early Childhood Development in Claremont
- Jazzart Dance Theatre in Cape Town
- Jungle Theatre Company in Muizenberg
- Magnet Training and Youth Upliftment Trust in Observatory
- The Sp(i)eel Arts Therapies Collective in Woodstock
- The Greater Tygerberg Partnership in Bellville
- The Princess Vlei Forum at Princess Vlei
Averil Barry-Hughes, Managing Director at Jazzart Dance Theatre, says the 49-year-old theatre is acknowledged as one of South Africa’s leading contemporary dance theatre companies that has, and continues, to exert a powerful influence on the development of dance in South Africa.
Barry-Hughes says as a non-profit organisation (NPO) that relies on government funding, sponsors and performance ticket sales to keep their doors open, the Grants-in-Aid allocation is welcomed.
“The project focusses on the education and training of young artists and creates a platform for dancers and dance makers to use dance as a transformative tool to communicate experiences across cultures and social groups. The funding will be used to mount a production with the theme “loving our land and its heritage”. It explores ways of creating awareness of our depleting natural resources and how we can find ways of leaving a positive environmental footprint for future generations.”
Jennie Reznek, co-founder and one of the Artistic Directors of Magnet Theatre, says the theatre is an independent physical theatre company that has been operating in and outside of South Africa for the past 37 years.
She says Magnet runs the Training and Youth Upliftment Trust. These are multi-layered educational programmes that are aimed at the transformation of young people’s lives and the theatre industry.
“All are skills development initiatives that help youth bridge the gap to tertiary education and employment in the creative economy. To date, our youth development programmes have been instrumental in facilitating access for 37 first generation university students.”
Reznek says they are grateful for the funding injection. She says this will allow them to continue to support young people as they are committed to using theatre as a way of expressing their concerns and stories and educating audiences about their context.
“It is so important for us that we have received this support from the City. It means that together with them we are able to continue to skill young people to become employable and able to create their own income generating products. This will be a small but significant contribution combating the extremely high level of youth unemployment in the city.”
She says this will be a “small but significant” contribution combating the high level of youth unemployment in the city.
Van der Ross says the recipients have projects in various communities, and, with the City’s assistance, they are now able to reach a much wider audience.
“Having a creative outlet is crucial to anyone, and now, through these projects, hundreds of young people and community members will be part of creative cultural experiences.”
Van der Ross says by supporting the arts, they are encouraging young people to increase their knowledge and become active citizens.
“Participating in structured arts activities enhances cognitive abilities and the social skills that support learning, communication and problem-solving. I encourage our youth to participate in the programmes when the opportunities arise.”
